Photo credits: Shiloh Strong Photography, Vincent K. Caruso
Playwright: Aleshea Harris
Director: Robin Larsen
Producers: Andrew Carlberg, Steven Klein
Co-Producers: Deborah Puette, Christopher Breyer
Casting Director: Sarah Finn
Casting Associate: Sage Ross
Assistant Director: Aliha Strange
Dramaturge: Zharia O'Neal
Set Designer/Tech Director: Joel Daavid
Lighting Designer: Donny Jackson
Sound Designer: Christopher Moscatiello
Costume Designer: Wendell Carmichael
Production Stage Manager: Letitia Chang
Assistant Stage Manager: Michelle Vasquez
Cultural Competency Consultant: Chels Morgan
Graphic Designer: Michelle Hanzelova-Bierbauer
Merle Dandridge (ANGIE)
Merle Dandridge is currently known for her work as Marlene in HBO’s The Last of Us, Zarina Killebrew in Apple TV+’s Truth Be Told , and as Chief Ross in ABC’s Station 19. She is also known for her starring role as Grace Greenleaf in Oprah Winfrey’s hit series Greenleaf. Broadway: Papa Ge in the Tony-winning revival of Once on this Island, Lady of the Lake in Spamalot, Joanne in Rent, Kala in Tarzan, Aida in Aida, and Jesus Christ Superstar. Merle recently played Desiree Armfeldt in Pasadena Playhouse’s hit production of A Little Night Music.
Camrus Johnson (RILEY)
Camrus Johnson not only starred as ‘Batwing/ Luke Fox’ in 3 seasons of the CW/HBO Max series Batwoman but also directed episode 311. Most recently he played ‘Trav’ in the 20th/Hulu Unt. Sister Comedy Project where he stars opposite Awkwafna, Will Ferrell, and Sandra Oh. A true multi-hyphenate, Johnson recently directed the tv movie Real Love for Mary J. Blige/SONY premiering June 10, 2023, adapted the Best Selling Novel Hide & Seeker into a 2022-23 Blacklist selected feature script entitled The Seeker, and won over 30 awards for his two animated shorts - one being at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and the other world premiering at Tribeca Film Festival.
Jayme Lawson (RACINE)
Jayme will next star as “Betty Shabazz” in the Nat Geo/Disney+ anthology series Genius: MLK/X, from Imagine and executive producer Gina Prince-Bythewood, as well as Neon’s How To Blow Up A Pipeline opposite Sasha Lane. She currently stars in Sony/Columbia’s The Woman King opposite Viola Davis & John Boyega for director Gina Prince-Bythewood, and MGM/ Orion’s Till for director Chinonye Chukwu and producer Barbara Broccoli. Jayme can be seen in Susanne Bier’s Showtime limited series The First Lady, sharing the role of “Michelle Obama” with series’ producer Viola Davis. She made her studio film debut last year as “Bella Reál” in Matt Reeves’ The Batman for Warner Bros. Her feature film debut Farewell Amor, from director Ekwa Msangi, premiered in the US Dramatic Competition at Sundance 2020 and was picked up for release by Hulu. Jayme was featured as one of LA Times’ and Variety’s breakouts of the festival, cited for her “inhabited, flawless performance,” and landed on Variety’s 10 Actors to Watch for 2020. Variety also cited her as the “Best Supporting Actress of 2020” for her performance. Jayme made her New York stage debut in The Public Theater’s critically acclaimed 2019 revival of Ntozake Shange’s seminal For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When The Rainbow Is Enuf. Graduating in 2019 with her BFA from Juilliard, she was that year’s recipient of the Laura Pels Prize, Juilliard’s top acting award.
Spence Moore II (SCOTCH)
Spence Moore II was recently seen in a flashy role in Creed 3 with Michael B. Jordan. He is the lead in another upcoming theatrical release (summer ’23): Back On The Strip with Wesley Snipes, Tifany Haddish and an A-list ensemble. On the TV side, Spence was a lead in the HBO/Luca Guadagnino series, We Are Who We Are. He played “Danny Poythress” who explored Islam on the show while trying to connect with his heritage in a tough military environment. Spence got his start on the CW hit series All American and is known for many TV roles: AppleTV+’s Truth Be Told; CW’s Superman & Lois; ABC’s The Wonder Years; Netfix’s 13 Reasons Why; Freeform’s Grown-Ish; Facebook’s Five Points with Madison Pettis; Peacock’s A.P. Bio.
Andre Royo (CHUCK HALL)
Andre Royo is best known for the legendary role of Bubbles in HBO’s The Wire. Most recently he can be seen as Royal in To Leslie which premiered at SXSW 2022 Film Festival. Royo is recurring character Laz Zayas in Gloria Calderon Kellett’s romantic comedy series With Love for Amazon. Furthermore, Andre can be seen as Thirsty Rawlings on Fox’s Empire, Mayor Bobo on Amazon’s Hand Of God, and Barry on Showtime’s comedy Happyish. In flm, he can be seen in Hunter Gatherer where he won the 2016 Best Actor Award at the SXSW Film Festival. Moreover, Andre has appeared in an eclectic array of features including George Lucas’ Red Tails, James Gunn’s Super, Felix van Groeningen’s Beautiful Boy, and James Ponsoldt’s The Spectacular Now. Most recently, March 10th - April 13th 2023, Royo starred in Eric Bogosian’s one-man play titled Drinking In America at Audible’s Minetta Lane Theatre in New York. Royo, under the direction of Mark Armstrong, played over a dozen characters, all of whom were intoxicated, as an exploration of the American male psyche and how it coincides with contemporary conversations about toxic masculinity and male fragility.
Roger is an award-winning actor known for the Peabody Award-winning adaptation of his acclaimed solo performance A Huey P. Newton Story (winner of the Obie Award amongst others) directed by longtime collaborator Spike Lee. They have worked together 8 times, including Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, and He Got Game and most recently on Roger’s one man show Rodney King released by Netflix. He worked opposite Denzel Washington in the Universal release of Ridley Scott’s hit film American Gangster, which marks the third time Smith has appeared onscreen with the 2x Academy Award winner. His body of work also includes such classics as Abel Ferrara’s King of New York and New Line Cinema’s Final Destination for James Wong of X-Files. His other film work includes RKO Pictures Shade opposite Jamie Foxx, Gabriel Byrne, Sylvester Stallone and Thandie Newton, and the New Line Cinema hit All About the Benjamins.
Roger Guenveur Smith (MAN)
Regina Taylor (SHE)
Actress/director/playwright/educator/activist Regina Taylor is featured in CSI Vegas, East New York, The First Lady (Gracie Award), Love Craft Country, Red Line and The Wonder Years. Taylor in her TV role as Lily Harper in I’ll Fly Away received a Golden Globe Award for Best Lead Actress, 3 NAACP Image Awards and 2 Emmy Award nominations. Television roles include The Unit. Taylor was first African American lead in Masterpiece Theatre’s Cora Unashamed, Strange Justice (Anita Hill/Gracie Award), A Good Day to Die and The Jenkin’s Family Christmas. Film credits include: Saturday Church, The Negotiator, Courage Under Fire, Clockers, Losing Isaiah and Lean on Me.
Dominique Thorne (ANAIA)
A Brooklyn native, Dominique Thorne made her award studded feature film debut in If Beale Street Could Talk, playing the role of “Sheila Hunt,” the petulant younger sister of “Fonny Hunt”. She next starred opposite Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfeld in Warner Brothers Judas and the Black Messiah. Judas premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for five Academy Awards. In December 2020, Marvel Studios announced that Thorne will star in Disney+’s Ironheart series, as the comic book character “Riri Williams,” who debut in box office record breaking hit Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
